Research Project Manager

Research Project Manager

The Department of Health Behavior & Health Equity at the University of Michigan School of Public Health is committed to advancing health equity and improving well-being through research, education, partnerships, and practice. Our faculty, staff, researchers, and students work collaboratively with communities near home and around the world to understand and address the social, behavioral, and structural factors that shape health.

Employees join a purpose-driven department dedicated to turning knowledge into action, building meaningful partnerships, and developing solutions that promote healthier, more equitable communities.

We're seeking an experienced part-time Research Project Manager to coordinate and oversee a randomized controlled trial investigating tobacco cessation interventions across urban and rural settings in a lower-middle-income country. The Project Manager will serve as the central liaison between the research headquarters and field site project managers, ensuring cohesive implementation, protocol fidelity, and operational excellence across all study locations.

• Collaborate with research investigators, field teams, and community representatives to finalize study materials, methods, and protocols
• Coordinate with project managers at each field site to monitor study progress, troubleshoot challenges, and ensure consistent protocol implementation
• Review and consolidate recruitment, retention, and data collection reports from multiple sites
• Facilitate communication between field teams and research investigators regarding timelines, resource needs, and protocol implementation and deviations
• Implement and oversee data safety and monitoring protocols, including adverse event reporting, data quality checks, and compliance with data protection regulations
• Coordinate with the Data Safety Monitoring Board by preparing interim safety reports and ensuring timely escalation of serious adverse events
• Establish standardized data validation procedures across sites to identify missing, inconsistent, or anomalous data requiring correction
• Monitor participant safety metrics and ensure field teams follow established safety procedures for managing unexpected health events
• Ensure timely IRB reporting and submissions, and maintain regulatory compliance and documentation
• Monitor key study performance indicators (recruitment rate, enrollment rates, follow-up completion, data quality metrics, and safety) and escalate issues requiring intervention
• Prepare progress reports for research investigators, other stakeholders, and funding bodies
• Support field site managers in problem-solving related to participant recruitment and retention, high-quality study implementation, and logistics in resource-limited environments
• Conduct periodic virtual and in-person site visits to audit operations and provide technical guidance

• Education and experience:
  
  Master's degree and 4+ years of related experience. (Supervisory and financial management experience preferred)
• Minimum 3 years of project management experience in clinical or public health research
• Experience working in low- or middle-income countries and coordinating multi-site studies
• Familiarity with RCT methodology, Good Clinical Practice standards, and data safety monitoring principles
• Strong organizational, management, and communication skills
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision in a part-time capacity
• Proficiency in remote collaboration tools and data management systems

• Background in tobacco control or substance use research
• Experience supervising or coordinating with field-based project managers
• Knowledge of urban-rural health service differences
• Experience managing adverse…